All My Colleagues Are Animals 101p1

Epilogue 2: Nian Qiu’s Story – Caged Bird (2)

The handmade round cushion was covered with a plain cotton cloth.

Nian Qiu no longer had to lie on the hard bottom board and could now curl up in her comfortable little nest.

She contentedly plucked a beautiful feather and rewarded the kind human with it.

Qin Rulian looked at her, a light amusement in her eyes, as if she were helpless. “Aren’t you going to save some feathers for the winter?”

Nian Qiu did not listen and passed the feather forward. “Jiu.”

Qin Rulian finally took it and carefully placed the feather in a black box in her drawer.

In it were already many beautiful feathers of different shapes and colors.

A thought suddenly stirred.

With this experience of making a round cushion, Qin Rulian had a bit more interest and confidence in handicrafts.

So many beautiful feathers. Could they be made into handicrafts, so they could bloom in a more beautiful way?

Qin Rulian thoughtfully closed the drawer.

She did not realize that, unlike her previous dejection, she now had some leisure.

Nian Qiu was really very fond of the soft cushion the woman had given her.

She did a somersault on it, and in the end, fell into a contentedly fluffy little pancake, nuzzling her head.

Qin Rulian curled her lips slightly and explained:

“I wanted to give you a cushion earlier, but I wasn’t sure about Liang Zheng’s attitude.”

In the months of her confinement, Qin Rulian had come to know Liang Zheng too well.

The young miss of the Liang family had put the bird here to raise, merely for the sake of humiliation.

If she were to discover that she had a soft spot for the bird, Liang Zheng would very likely destroy this bird immediately.

But the last few times Liang Zheng had come over, she had not paid any attention to the bird and had only tried to admire her humiliated expression.

Only then did Qin Rulian feel at ease enough to do something for the bird.

Nian Qiu obediently “jiu-ed” and nodded her fluffy head to show she understood.

This little bird was really very human-like, with rich emotions, and could even understand human language.

At this moment, her dark, black eyes were also misty and sparkling, and her head was gently nuzzling the soft cushion, and she was looking at her.

Qin Rulian was slightly stunned and unconsciously reached in through the opening of the grid with her fingertips.

She had forgotten that her fingertips were still covered in a thin layer of barely-dried blood.

Nian Qiu looked at the wound from the needle and let out a low “jiu.”

She tried to lick it, but was afraid that her beak would accidentally prick it, so in the end, she just pressed her fluffy body against the side of Qin Rulian’s finger.

The clear and subtle scent of ink came, and she sniffed it and closed her eyes.

The desolate autumn wind was making the window whimper, but the human and the bird in the room were at peace.

Click.

The sound of a shackle being unlocked suddenly came from outside the door.

Qin Rulian’s breath hitched, and she pulled back her fingertips.

Liang Zheng walked in from the door with an air of composure.

She had had some wine, and her cheeks were flushed, and her posture was carefree.

“Qin Rulian.”

She called the woman’s name as she came in.

Perhaps the alcohol had magnified her obscure thoughts.

Liang Zheng came up to Qin Rulian and did not open her mouth to humiliate her. Her gaze silently traced the woman’s features, and then she suddenly reached out a hand to her.

Qin Rulian dodged without a change in expression.

But she was forcefully held by the fingertips by Liang Zheng, who was in a young miss’s temper.

She happened to squeeze the wound, and Qin Rulian’s body trembled slightly in pain for a moment, and then she quickly suppressed it.

Liang Zheng seemed to have sensed something and picked up her hand, and saw the blood seeping from her fingertip.

She then looked to the side, at the faint blood color on the little bird’s beak.

“…Young Miss Qin, you were pecked by a bird?”

Liang Zheng suddenly raised an eyebrow.

Qin Rulian was silent.

As if she had discovered something extraordinary, Liang Zheng’s slightly tipsy features were instantly filled with excitement.

Their moon-like Young Miss Qin had not only fallen into a cage, but had also been wantonly humiliated by another caged bird, and her hand had been pecked.

So pitiful, so delightful…

Liang Zheng felt that the feeling of this moment was even more dizzying than alcohol.

She waved her hand, and the person who had followed her came forward. “Go and open the birdcage.”

With two clicks, the two heavy locks on the gold-wire cage were unlocked.

The cage door was then opened a crack.

Liang Zheng raised a hand and, with a strong force, directly tore off the cage door and haphazardly threw it to the side.

Clang.

The metal hit the ground.

Liang Zheng looked down from above and, with a great show of mercy, announced to the little bird, “From today on, you will live in a cage as big as Qin Rulian’s.”

Her words humiliated both the human and the bird.

Bang—

The bedroom door was slammed, and Liang Zheng left, satisfied.

The room fell into a silence.

Qin Rulian looked at the little fluffy bird in the cage.

As if she didn’t care at all about the humiliation just now, she said with a sincere and gratified tone:

“You have your first step of freedom.”

She had thought that the little fluffy bird would be as lively as she had been in the past when she was happy, and would flap her wings and hop around.

But she saw the little bird just rush out of the cage in a hurry and come straight to her hand, which was resting on the edge of the desk.

Then she “jiu-jiu-ed” at the wound, which was bleeding again, and her beautiful wings flapped and flapped, and her voice was urgent.

Qin Rulian was stunned for a moment and looked at the little bird, which was worried about her, for a moment, lost in thought.

Later, she rarely and seriously treated her wound.

Only then was the little fluffy bird content, and she sat down limply by the woman’s pen and paper.

Her head would sometimes be tilted slightly, as if she were constantly changing angles, and she would look at her intently.

Qin Rulian couldn’t help but raise her uninjured hand, and her fingertips carefully and lightly caressed the little bird’s head.

The soft fur had a vivid and warm temperature, and it stirred up a fine itch at her fingertips.

“Jiu.”

Nian Qiu took the opportunity to jump into Qin Rulian’s palm and, with her beak, poked the woman’s touch-and-go finger, indicating that she wanted more pets.

Caught off guard, a ball of fluff filled her hand.

Qin Rulian clearly felt the little bird’s warm body and its strong and beating heart.

The deep autumn was cool, and the bedroom was cold and quiet.

This was the first time in a long while that she had truly come into contact with another’s vigorous warmth.

Qin Rulian’s lips unconsciously curled up slightly.

The arc was still faint, but it did not disappear for a long time.

Nian Qiu looked up, lost in thought.

…

Entering winter.

The heating in the small building was old, and the effect was not very good.

Qin Rulian had been cold since she was little, and her hands were prone to getting cold.

Mom would always put a hand warmer in her hand.

Fortunately, this winter she had an exclusive hand-warming bird.

Rustle—

Qin Rulian was engrossed in her reading and lightly turned a page.

Nian Qiu was nestled in a soft cushion on the desk and had just woken up from a nap.

She looked up and saw that the woman was still reading, and she flapped her wings and lightly jumped to the woman’s hand.

She lowered her fluffy head and nuzzled the woman’s fingertips, and indeed felt a certain coldness.

Nian Qiu, without hesitation, leaped lightly and nestled herself in to warm her, and with a practiced ease, she nuzzled the woman’s fingers with her fluffy head, and sniffed the subtle fragrance of paper and ink.

This pitiful female human, what would she do in the winter without her, Nian Qiu?

She would probably freeze into a block of ice.

With this thought, the little fluffy bird let out a proud “jiu.”

And she plucked a feather and rewarded the pitiful human.

Qin Rulian’s hand moved slightly, and she said, “Don’t warm me. You’ll catch a cold.”

The moment she finished, her fingertip was lightly pecked.

The little bird’s beautiful tail trembled slightly and brushed against her fingertips, and her dark, round eyes stared at her without a moment’s pause.

She did not move, nor did she let the person refuse, a very domineering bird.

Qin Rulian paused slightly, and then she unconsciously smiled.

She no longer insisted and lowered her head to continue to read seriously.

Nian Qiu would sometimes preen her feathers, and sometimes she would look at her. More often than not, it was the latter.

Occasionally, Qin Rulian’s gaze would also move from the pages of the book and look at the warm little bird in her palm.

Outside the window, it was icy cold, and the snowy day was a cold and quiet white.

But inside, there was the bright and beautiful color of the little bird’s feathers, and its warm body.

Qin Rulian suddenly felt a long-lost stability.

She even began to pray that winter would not pass, and that it would always be as certain and stable as this moment.

…

Spring.

A romantic breeze, and the grass grew and the orioles flew.

Nian Qiu had gradually completed her molt and had new, full, and beautiful feathers, and she could also fly high.

But what she wanted to do the most did not seem to be flying—

“Jiu.”

The spring breeze blew by, and Nian Qiu, with practiced ease, once again spread her wings in front of Qin Rulian and swayed lightly, showing her beautiful feathers and posture in all directions.

Qin Rulian’s eyes curved as she praised her. “Very beautiful.”

The little fluffy bird looked up at the woman’s stunning smile and, mesmerized, couldn’t help but flap her wings.

She flew up lightly and landed on the woman’s shoulder.

Qin Rulian’s body always had a unique scent, a mix of flowers and ink, which made a bird intoxicated.

Especially in the spring, Nian Qiu felt that she was more and more infatuated with Qin Rulian’s scent.

She always wanted to nuzzle and bite the woman’s fair and delicate fingers, the tips of her ears, her collarbone, and her favorite neck.

She would restrain her force, and only cause a slight numbness.

And Qin Rulian would always indulge the little fluffy bird’s actions.

A light, stinging numbness came from her neck again, and Qin Rulian’s breath hitched.

She held her pen, and her lashes trembled slightly, and she endured in silence for a moment. When she really couldn’t take it anymore, she raised her index finger and placed it in front of her neck.

And so, Nian Qiu took the opportunity to hold the woman’s index finger with her two claws and stood on her hand, her beautiful feathers lightly spread.

“Jiu.”

It was a prompt for a human to pet her.

Qin Rulian was already skilled at petting a bird.

She would start with the fur on the top of her head, and her light and heavy technique would make the little bird so mesmerized that her eyes would half-close.

Then, she would turn the whole little bird over and, spreading her out in her palm, she would pet her round and fluffy belly.

As always, Nian Qiu was gradually petted until her whole body was warm.

But unlike countless times before, at this moment, that warmth spread throughout her body, gradually giving rise to a subtle, electric tingling…

Nian Qiu’s whole body trembled lightly.

Qin Rulian was slightly stunned.

Is she uncomfortable?

She stopped and placed the little fluffy bird on the desk.

But the little fluffy bird once again rolled limply into her hand and, haphazardly and everywhere, lightly pecked and bit, like a mark and a possession.

After a moment, the little bird’s head was suddenly buried in her thick and soft feathers, and she picked and chose.

In the end, she took out a particularly beautiful and bright feather and demurely handed it to the human.

Qin Rulian had already received many feathers.

And so, this time, she also, without much thought, took it in her hand.

“This one is particularly beautiful,” she said, playing with it and praising it softly.

She saw the little fluffy bird happily spin in circles and, instinctively, flap her wings and dance a light and beautiful dance.

Qin Rulian did not know that this was a dance of successful courtship.

She admired it seriously and was engrossed by the scene, which was even more vivid and brilliant than the spring scenery outside the window.

But she saw the little fluffy bird, who had just finished dancing, suddenly fly up and lightly peck her on the lips.

“…”

A numb feeling came from her lips, and Qin Rulian, a beat later, blinked her eyes.

…

Qin Rulian could tell that the little bird had been a bit overexcited recently.

She would sing crisply, show off her wings from time to time, and also liked to press her neck against her neck, and with her little claws, she would repeatedly and lightly step on her back, and later, she had also touched the woman’s spring-flower-like, beautiful and delicate lips with her beak.

And she would give Qin Rulian several beautiful feathers in one go.

At this, Qin Rulian indulged her completely.

Her features had a light smile, and she also raised her hand to smooth the little fluffy bird from head to tail.

The human and the bird were intimate for a moment, and Nian Qiu suddenly remembered something and flew out from a small opening in the screen.

Qin Rulian waited for a moment, not understanding, and saw Nian Qiu come in with a beautiful little fruit in her mouth and, like offering a treasure, placed it on her desk.

It was bright red, round and plump, like a translucent gem.

Qin Rulian said, “Is this the fruit you’ve been liking recently?”

The little fluffy bird nodded.

Qin Rulian smiled, and a moonlight seemed to shimmer in her eyes.

…

Wary of Liang Zheng, Nian Qiu did not often fly into the house.

Most of the time, she would still be nestled in a branch in front of the window. She would only slip in through a small opening when it was dark and windy, and would cuddle with Qin Rulian for a moment.

That night, at the tacitly understood time, the little fluffy bird slipped in through the opening in the screen.

But she was a little different from usual.

She was dizzy, and her whole limp body fell into a fluffy little pancake on the desk.

She chirped haphazardly, and her two paws would occasionally and lightly flick, like a drunken human.

Qin Rulian’s gaze froze slightly. Could it be that the little bird had accidentally drunk some wine?

She picked up the fluffy little bird and fed it some water. She also placed her on the large, soft bed and patted her head.

Then she turned to wash up.

When she came out after tidying up, Qin Rulian looked up and was immediately stunned at the bathroom door—

She saw a beautiful young woman suddenly appear on the bed.

Her long hair was a beige color, and in the light, it had a faint, bright, watery blue luster.

Her cheeks and the skin of her neck were faintly flushed with a tipsy pink.

Her eyes were tightly closed, and her thick lashes trembled slightly, and as her pink lips opened and closed, she murmured:

“Qin Rulian…”

Qin Rulian’s breath caught, and her heart tightened with a strange, puckering feeling.

A certain absurd guess was dancing in her heart and was gradually becoming a clearer and clearer answer—

The young woman on the bed was her little fluffy bird.

The little bird was actually a spirit…?

Qin Rulian unconsciously held her breath and slowly walked to the bedside.

She raised her hand, and her fingertips trembled slightly, and she lightly touched the young woman’s cheek.

The touch was delicate and had a real and vivid warmth.

Qin Rulian trembled and was frozen for a long moment.

Later, she took a deep breath and finally relaxed and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Just at this moment, the young woman’s eyes suddenly flew open, and her breathing was rapid.

Her eyes were filled with tears, and her flushed cheeks were covered in a clear, watery sheen.

As if she had dreamed of a sad scene.

Qin Rulian raised a hand, wanting to wipe away her tears.

But she was caught off guard by the young woman’s forceful pull, and her whole body fell onto the bed.

“Mmm…”

A little pain, and a light hum unconsciously escaped her throat, and her lashes trembled slightly.

The next second, a soft weight was on her, and a sweet, fruity wine scent wafted over.

In the dim light, Qin Rulian’s breathing was rapid.

She looked up, at a loss, and met a pair of beautiful, teary, and shimmering eyes.

She saw the young woman slowly lower her head and piously and lightly kiss the corner of her own eye, as if she were kissing away the tears of a memory.

“Qin Rulian…”

The young woman closed her eyes and coaxed gently, “Don’t cry.”

Qin Rulian was so kissed that she unconsciously trembled, and she bit her lower lip tightly, and the tip of her heart trembled.

Her eyes, which had had no tears, were also filled with a moist sheen.

—That day, on the anniversary of her death, had the little bird, who had pecked away her tears, wanted to say this?

***